Relief valve for deep-well pumps



Sept. 28 1926.

- c. B. LEWIS ET AL v RELIEF VALVE FOR DEEP WELL PUMPS INVENTORS, C harlesBlewis flRolwertsqn Edgar A TTORNE Y,

Filed Dec. 14. 1925 Patented Sept. 28, 1926.

USNH'EE STATES 1,331,339 @Fi lfifi.

CHARLES B. LEWIS AND EDGAR I). ROBERTSON, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

RELIEF VALVE FOR DEEP-WELL PUMPS.

Application filed December 14, 1925.

Our invention relates to an attachment for deep well pumps and more particularly to a valve for the type of pumps used in oil wells.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a relief valve or check valve, in the pump tubing, above the plunger, which will relieve the pressure on the plunger valve during its downward stroke and will prevent sand or other sediment from settling and packing around the plunger valve.

Another object is to provide a relief valve of the character described which permits a polish rod to operate through it and which is equipped with a stuffing-box to prevent leakage and reduce wear between itself and the polish rod. r

A' further object is to provide a relief valve of the character described which is readily cleared of sediment and the seat of which is comparatively free from wear so that'the valve as a whole is exceptionally durable.

Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter and while we show herewith and will describe a preferred form of construc tion, we desire to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to such preferred form but that various changes and adaptations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of our invention as hereinafter claimed.

Referring to the drawings which accompany this specification and form a part thereof.

Fig. 1, is a vertical sectional view of the lower part of an oil well having a pump therein which is equipped with our improved relief valve, parts of the pump be ing shown broken away to save space.

Fig. 2, is an enlarged sectional view of our improved relief valve, taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3, is a transverse sectional view of the polish rod and relief valve, with the flapper in its lifted position, indicated in dotted lines, the section being taken approximately on line 3-3 of Fig. 2. V

Fig. 4, is a view in perspective of the flapper, or moveable part of our improved relief valve, by itself.

Describing the drawings more in detail, reference numeral 10 indicates the oil well casing, '11 the standing valve of the pump, 12 the Garbutt attachment, 13 the plunger in the working barrel 14 of the pump, 15

Serial No. 75,389.

the plunger valve, 16 the polish rodand 17 lar piece 20, with its lower end tapered as at 21 to conform to seat 19 of shoe 18, and

a reduced tubular extension 22 having a bell-shaped enlargment 23 on its lower end adapted to screw onto the reduced upper end oftubular piece 20, said enlargement being connected to extension 22 by an inclined web 25 having a shoulder 26 which serves as a seat for the flapper 27. the movable part of the valve.

Tubular piece 20 has a longitudinal bore 28 of sufficiently. greater diameter than polish rod 16 to provide an annular space 29 therebetween through which an upward flow of oil may take place. The bore 30 of tubular extension 22 is slightly larger than the diameter of the polish rod so that the latter may move freely therein and its upper end is screw-threaded to receive a packing-cup 31 which extends upwardly therefrom. The upper end of packing-cup 31 is screw-threaded to receive a cap 32 which has an opening 33 large enough to receive a sleeve plunger 34 having a flange 35 formed on its upper end and a retaining ring 36 screwed onto its lower end. Sleeve plunger 34 is adapted to move freely on polish rod 16 and in cap 32 so that it acts to compress the packing 37 within cup 3]. when the downward pressure of the oil col- 1111111 in the pump acts upon flange 35. A circular series of apertures 38 are made through web 24L at right angles to inclined shoulder 26, said apertures communicating with annular space 29, and the inner edge of reduced portion 2a of tubular piece 20 is rounded, as at 39, to provide clearance for such communication.

The movable part 27 of our relief valve, which has been designated a flapper, is a short tube 10 loosely fitting on tubular extension 22 so as to be vertically slidable thereon, its lower end being equipped with an inclined flange 41 adapted to seat on shoulder 26 so as to cover apertures 38 in web 24 and prevent oil from flowing downwardly therethrough. The flapper is made light enough to be lifted readily by the upward pressure of the oil when raised by the plunger and it may be made heavy enough to all back freely by its own weight or a compressed helical spring 42 may be placed between it and packing-cup 31, to make its action more positive. The lower end of flapper tube l0, best shown in Fig. 2, may be said to have an internally beveled lower end in order to adapt it for seating upon the inclined annular shoulder Only a slight flange or expansion i1 is required to extend the bevel sni'ticiently .to cover the apertures 38.

he operation of our improved relief valve is evident. During the upward stroke 01 the pump plunger 13 flapper 27 is lifted by the upward pressure of the oil, or other liquid which then passes upwardly through apertures 38. hen the pump plunger starts on its downward stroke flapper 2'? falls back onto seat 26 and closes apertures 38 so that a partial vacuum is produced below the relief valve, as the pump plunger continues on its downward stroke, which accelerates the low of oil through the plunger valve 15 into the upper part of working barrel 14:. Any sediment, such as sand or other solid material contained in the oil, will settle above the relief valve instead of around the plunger valve and, if not too great in quantity, will yield to permit the operation of flapper 27 when the pump is started again.

he relief valve may be withdrawn from the pump, in case it becomes necessary, by withdrawing the pump plunger in the usual way. Tfhen this is done the cage of the plunger valve comes in contact with the reliet' valve and carries the latter along with it.

Having thus illustrated and described our invention, we claim:

A relief valve for a deep well pump comprising a standing part made of a relatively large tubular piece adapted to seat in a connecting shoe in the pump above the working barrel thereof, a tubular extension attached to the upper end of said relatively tubular piece by a connecting web in inclined shoulder which serves as a valve seat, said web also having a circula series of apertures therein, the lower ends of which communicate with the bore of said relatively large tubular piece and the upper ends of whica open on said inclined shoulder close to said tubular extension and a tubular flapper slidably mounted on said tubular extension, said flapper having an internal bevel at its lower end adapted to cover the greater portion oi the upper ends of said apertures, there being a slight expansion or tlanging ot the lower end of said flapper to completely cover said apertures when said flapper is seated.

CHARLES B. LEVFIS. EDGAR D. ROBERTSOK. 

